


Our Darkest Hour

by Skullszeyes



Category: Banana Bus Squad
Genre: Action & Romance, Alternate Universe - Spies & Secret Agents, Betrayal, Blood, Blood and Violence, Boys Kissing, Dark, Friendship, Government Agencies, Gun Violence, Implied/Referenced Torture, Kissing, M/M, Male Friendship, Male Protagonist, Male Slash, Modern Assassins, Original Character(s), Out of Character, POV Male Character, POV Third Person Limited, Past Relationship(s), Platonic Male/Male Relationships, Revenge, Romance, Rough Kissing, Secrets, Seven Deadly Sins, Slow Burn, Swearing, Trust Issues, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2019-05-17
Packaged: 2019-06-13 11:29:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 18,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15363657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skullszeyes/pseuds/Skullszeyes
Summary: Delirious and Evan's lives clash with death, both apathetic, they deal with secrets, vengeance, trust issues, and their own growing compassion toward each other.





	1. wrath's dead

**Author's Note:**

> Hey. In April, or March, I think, I said I would write 3 h2ovanoss fanfics after I finished Frayed. And this is one of them. :)  
> This has a darker tone to it, and the characters are driven by their own interests. As they become more acquainted with each other, things begin to change. I wanted to write something like this for awhile where both haven't met originally. And I usually don't write Vanoss and Delirious, or any characters correctly. I don't know why...they always come out OOC. My bad. :/
> 
> This has both Delirious and Evan's pov. Some chapters will be shorter than others, and some will be long. Usually they are under 2k words, but sometimes more, and those are rare. So don't get annoyed that I can't write long chapters, I'm an underwriter, and so I have this constant struggle. Please understand. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy. 
> 
> Comments and/or Kudo's are appreciated.

It was late evening when a man in his early thirties stumbled through the door, holding the side of his abdomen where blood soaked through his grey shirt. He fumbled with a phone on the metal desk, hands shaking as he dialed a number, he placed the phone to his ear.

“Come on, come on, come on, fucking—Hello...Hey, can you get a hold of T—Ahh!” He fell, another bullet sinking into his leg, the phone slipping from his fingertips. His teeth clenched, he raised his head, brows creased as the man stepped toward him. “Fuck you. I don’t have anything.”

“I know,” he said, a smile widened upon his face, “we’re here to gain information from your network.”

“What the fuck? This place was secure, it was fucking secure—”

“Not from us, you had a double agent in your midst and he snitched you out. You’re the only one that really matters, but since we’re not paid to keep baggage, we’re here to do one job.” He shot the man in his head and his body slumped on the hard ground.

“I seriously thought you were going to talk his fucking ear off.” A man nudged him in the shoulder, he was taller with short dirty blonde hair, wearing a similar trench coat to the man holding the gun, except his was grey.

His feral grin stayed prominent on his face. “They have this look in their eye before they die. I wanted to see it.”

“Sure, Delirious, whatever you say, let’s head out before the others get ahead of themselves.”

Delirious tucked the gun back into his holster inside his jacket and followed his cohort, Wildcat, down the hall to the stairs, they strolled through several halls to a closed door, a light emitted from beneath the door, and Tyler opened it and they stepped through.

Moo and Terroriser were looking over a few files with their guns sitting beside them on a white table. Two bodies lay strewn at their feet, blood painting the walls and the leg of the table, it dripped from the corner.

Lui appeared from the next room over with Nogla, he placed a black laptop down onto the table, pushing Moo’s gun out of the way. He sighed, typed a bit, then stuck a USB on the side.

“Do you think they’ll have the intel this time?” Wildcat asked, leaning against the table with his arms crossed, staring with disinterest.

“Feeling malcontent?” Lui asked without looking up at him.

“We weren’t meant to have an entire floor of soldiers waiting for us, so yeah, I’m curious if we’re going to get screwed over like last time,” Wildcat said, turning his glare toward a stack of papers and books on the other side of the room.

“I wouldn’t say they were soldiers,” Moo said, focused solely on the paper he was reading, “more like a security force.”

“Either way, what the hell? This isn’t a government building.”

“Not the entire facility, but the branch we’re in is,” Lui said, absentmindedly.

Delirious liked to think they were renegades, heroes of a story, but in truth when he looked at the bodies of innocent people who worked in this building. He knew behind the mask that he was only telling himself lies to keep a bit of himself sane.

They were hired to retrieve intel that worked for an extended organization all over the country. This was given to them an hour ago and they were meant to grab it before anyone else does. Hacking the information would not get anyone anywhere, it was on a private server, and they’d have to go to the building itself to extract it, which they are doing. Possibly many others as well.

Delirious is grateful that they were able to get there without interruptions. Now Lui was making sure it was in their grasp before they leave.

There was a silence in the building where screams had once occupied it. Red rimmed eyes and gaping mouths, pleads before a bullet struck their skin and bone.

He had done this many times over, a system in his body that saw nothing but repetitive actions. He didn’t mind it, it was a job, and everyone else was collateral damage.

“Are we done yet?” he asked, hoping he didn’t sound too impatient.

Lui only grunted, while Moo, who was also on a computer said nothing. They loved to ignore him.

Wildcat on the other hand was watching the entrances to the room, and the windows above them. He was incredibly sharp, and even with his arrogance and short temper, he was patient when he wanted to be.

Nogla who stood beside Lui had his phone in his hand and was flicking through camera systems. He, unlike Lui, wasn’t an expert on hacking, but over time he was able to learn. He was still good at shooting, and fighting, and sometimes didn’t think when they were getting shot at. Usually his dumb luck saved them.

Delirious’s own skills acquired more people with weapons in their hands. It was the only time when he was free to do what he pleased without restrictions. He breathed in the luxury. A bubble of laughter escaped him when he witnessed the fear in their eyes, their pleas before he killed them. He was called insane on many occasions, but they would never understand how much it meant to him that it was true. Dark corners with dark monsters lie within his bones.

“Almost finished,” Lui said, eyes glued on the screen.

Moo bit his lower lip, still typing. “There’s a lot of firewall I have to get through, a bit more and we’ll have everything we need.”

“Good,” Nogla said, “because we’re about to have company.”

All of them stopped and looked at him.

“What do you mean?” Delirious asked, rolling his shoulders.

Nogla’s brows pinched, “I don’t know who they are, but I see at least seven of them entering the building. Two of them are on the roof, two entered the back area, one on the left side, and another in the front. They’re wearing tactical armour and holding assault rifles.”

“Great,” Delirious said, checking his gun, “I’m bored anyway. Wildcat?”

He nodded, finally the impatience burned in his eyes, “Okay. Hurry up, we’ll get you more time.”

“Five would be wonderful,” Lui said as they walked down the hall toward the first entrance.

“Guard the doors,” Wildcat called back to Nogla.

Delirious was already in the hallway, it was dark and morbid looking, but like his monsters deep inside, he didn’t mind being one too. He took silent steps, as if he were not even sound itself. Wildcat was beside him, quiet and ready for whatever would appear.

The anticipation sang in his veins and his hold on his gun was steady. He couldn’t stop the smile spreading on his face. This is what he wanted, a part of him craved this excitement.

“Don’t forget why we’re here,” Wildcat warned.

Delirious gave him a mocking smile. “Worry about yourself.”

“And not of you? How foolish I’d be. You’re like a wild dog that needs a leash.”

Delirious tilted his head to the side, nudging Wildcat in the shoulder. “Will you feed me after? This wild dog gets ravenous after a good killing.”

Wildcat seethed, “If you do anything that fucks this up. I’ll chain you in the basement of our safe house and let you starve for three weeks.”

“You were never fun.”

“During missions, why should I be? It’s serious, and it gets us paid.”

Of course that’s the first thing he’d think about, not like they were any different. The motive was the same, the tasks were not as relentless, nor surprising. Except it was like a cycle, continuous and boring.

“You take left,” Delirious says, already heading to the right. They kept the halls dark for the purpose of concealing their identities and whereabouts. Also, Delirious wanted the area where he’d be able to get to whoever entered the building.

It was only right for him to kill first.

The silence and self control steadied his breathing. His heart no longer raced with the excitement of killing, but there was something else that thrummed, his senses touching along every part of the hall. Listening to anything that could give him satisfaction.

It was quiet.

Dead quiet.

They were relentless.

People who were ready to die, a group of skilled mercenaries, or even a task force from the government that found out their little secure hang out was compromised.

Either way. They aren’t leaving this building.

Delirious, who rather was fond of death and life in all it’s fractured rules, hummed as he strolled down the hall toward a glass door. He grabbed the handle and pulled it open, sliding through into the next hall.

He looked down both ways, listening to any notable sounds. He heard nothing, but he stayed where he was for a moment.

There was something beyond the hall he stood in. A sound of scraping, a door closing, and footsteps on the tile floors.

They were getting close and they knew where they were going.

“This is going to be fun,” Delirious said to himself in the silence of the hall. He walked toward a desk to his left and pressed his back against the wall. He listened for more sounds that lingered and then everything went silent.

He lowered his breathing when the sounds returned and someone stepped beside him as the door clicked shut. He hadn’t realized it, they were so quiet, but it was already too late.

Delirious raised his hand and fired the gun. The bullet sunk into the man’s head and the body fell. More silence and then a radio chatter began but even that went dead.

Delirious cleared his throat and touched the comm in his ear. “One down, six to go.”

“That was pretty fucking loud,” Wildcat said.

“Now they know we’re guarding the—”

Explosions went off, reverberating against the walls and almost making Delirious stumble forward.

“What the fuck was that?” Delirious asked, a hand on the wall as he looked down the hall, wary of whatever the intruders were doing.

“It doesn’t matter,” Lui said, always so calm under duress, when has anyone ever seen him panicking, it was rare. “We’re done. Let’s go.”

“We’ll take the north end,” Nogla said, a sigh leaving his lips, “most of them are on the south. They won’t know we’re leaving that way while we’re in the dark.”

Delirious started his way down the north end, keeping his steps quiet, but making sure he was quick. He picked up the radio from the man he killed and was listening in to whoever was running the operation on the south side of the building.

“Wrath’s dead,” one of them said.

“His fault for not listening to the plan.”

“Doesn’t matter,” another said, a hint of annoyance in their voice, “search the building, find the perpetrators and eliminate them.”

Delirious grinned, he pressed a button on the radio and said, “You’re not going to find us. Have fun doing so assholes.”

He dropped the radio and pushed open a glass door. If only he could have fun with these people, but when he killed, he liked it when it had purpose. This was not purpose, this was blood sport, and he was rightfully calm and less impatient to consider the option of hunting down intruders that didn’t earn the right to die.


	2. greed will take over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They look for the culprits who killed their team member, but unfortunate decisions are made.

Evan stood on the rooftop, staring down at the radio in his hand. The mocking voice of whoever had killed Wrath was still lurking throughout the building, and were probably leaving.

“We have to find them,” Envy said, tucking his own radio in his belt.

Evan nodded. “They’ll be leaving, we should search around the back entrance.”

“Lead away,” Envy said.

Evan turned and walked along the roof. In-an-out, Wrath muttered earlier today when they planned the operation, his ecstatic grin amused the others. From the schematics of the buildings, he knew Wrath was right. Except the intel was leaked to several companies throughout the country, and they had to move fast if they were going to intercept it before anyone else does.

Unfortunately, it looks like they were late to the party. It annoyed Evan, he wanted to get it done, get paid for his hard work and go home. Leave his laughing acquaintances to their own devices. He was put in charge of the entire operation, which he didn’t mind in the least, he was a lot more skilled than anyone else in the company, even how much they like to deny it.

Wrath growled at him, but Evan ignored his insults. He got them ready, and they were out in minutes. And like always, Wrath went in first without listening to any of them, and managed to get himself killed.

One less idiot to deal with.

“Who do you think killed him?” Envy asked, he was an inch taller than Evan, and held a sniper rifle in his hands, a hood covered his head, and underneath his black jacket, he wore a bullet proof armour, padding around his legs, and heavy shoes.

He was one of the people Evan didn’t want to go in first. He would make a lot of noise, which he denied when they first arrived, but Wrath proved him wrong with his own similar armour.

They took the roof seconds after Wrath went in, and right away, he was gone in a blink. Then to their chagrin, Gluttony blew up one side of the building’s that aren’t connected to the one they were on. It was meant as a diversion, which should help their timing.

“Lust and Sloth were meant to research any other companies, government or military, that were in the area, or at least this side of the country, but who knows. It could be anyone.” He was annoyed by their own lack of interest in the mission, he could probably do it himself, but he was busy with recon, and Greed wanted it done right, which sounded like an insult towards Evan.

Over the years of staying with Mad House, he was trying his hardest not to get up during the night, hunt them all down, and kill them for their incompetence. However, his need to prove them wrong was too strong for him to go through with it.

They jumped down to a smaller roof, and Envy knelt against the edge of the roof, looking through the scope. Evan watched the area, making sure everything was clear. Including behind them. Except he saw nothing, nor did he hear anything, besides Envy’s hard breathing.

“I can’t hear anything, shut up,” Evan snapped.

Envy sneered at him. “If I do, I’ll die.”

“Which would probably make this entire mission easier,” Evan retorted, shaking his head. “I can’t believe I’m working with _you_ of all people.”

“Trust me,” Envy looked back through the scope, “staying with someone like you isn’t as appealing as Greed makes it out to be.”

Evan didn’t comment on that. He knew what Envy was talking about, over the years, Greed held animosity over him, and it got worse when he was made team leader. She either ignored him, or subtlety insulted him. She wanted the title of leader, and because of that, he was thinking she was going to hit her breaking point and simply shoot him in the head.

Which he welcomed so it can end his suffering, he hated working with them.

“I’m going to check on that side,” Evan said, walking away.

“Don’t get yourself killed,” Envy said with a chuckle.

Evan rolled his eyes, he checked his gun for the magazine, and idly held it at his side. He walked along the roof toward the staircase, but before he could get to it. He heard the sound of a gun cocking, and he went completely still.

“I’m guessing this isn’t your idea,” Evan said, slowly turning around to look at Envy, he wasn’t holding the sniper rifle, but a pistol to Evan’s face, a crooked smile twitching at the corner of his lips. “You’re not exactly smart enough to come up with this, nor brave.”

“Shut up,” Envy snapped, gritting his teeth. “You know, I really hate you. For so fucking long, I hated you.”

“I don’t really feel anything warm about you either,” Evan muttered.

Envy’s hand shook while holding the gun. He wasn’t entirely assertive when he wanted to be, but usually his anger is what destroys him.

“What did I do to elicit this type of response?” Evan asked, arching a brow, he was passively mocking Envy, but he also knew that Envy wouldn’t pick it up.

“We all don’t like you,” he said, shoulders tense.

“I noticed.”

“You think you’re so damn smart, don’t you?” Envy asked, spit falling from his lips, “but Greed found something out about you, she knows she’s right about what you did last year, about why you didn’t go through with it!”

Evan furrowed his brows, his lips parted. Last year, they were given a mission, one he planned for several days and held the gun at his target, but he stopped himself, in turn angering his team mates. They all looked at him with disdain and wouldn’t let it go for months until finally they all shut up about it.

It was the first time he did that, hesitated over the trigger. It left a bad taste in his mouth, and he had considered doing it, but he couldn’t. A decision that wasn’t as difficult as he thought it would be, and dealing with everyone may have isolated him, not like he cared about their opinions. He sat up late thinking about it, running over his options, and in all his years of doing this. He was apathetic, but there was also obligation that he stuck with, and the others would never understand that, not the way they were. So damn erratic. Envy only needed incentive from Greed to pull a gun on him, something he probably wanted to do for sometime, but fear held him back.

“What she found doesn’t matter, it’s all in the past,” Evan told him, “I’m your team leader, pulling a gun on me will result in consequences.”

Envy shook his head, a wild look in his eyes, “No. Greed will take over once you’re gone, and the rest of us can finally breathe easier without you hovering over us with your—”

“Greed will not take over, she’s disobeying a direct order—”

Envy laughed, harsh and insane. “Are you seriously pulling that, when you did the same fucking thing a year ago?”

“What do you get out of this, Envy?” Evan asked him, “you’ll be Greed’s lap dog, never rising to self-accomplishment.”

He sneered, “Your death will be my accomplishment.”

“Do you really want my position that much that you are willing to kill me?” Evan asked, hoping to provoke something else than Greed’s manipulation.

Envy faltered, his gun wavering. “Like you keep on saying, I’m not skilled enough, but I want too, I want to be better, but everyone else is in my way.”

“And you’ll never be better, Envy,” Evan took a step forward, “not with that attitude.”

Envy scoffed. “And what attitude should I have, be more like Greed, or Gluttony, or even Lust?”

“You’re slightly lingering on Sloth,” Evan said, “but you’re brighter than her.”

“And of _you_?” Envy asked, rain began to fall softly around them, and Envy blinked when one hit his eyelash. Evan watched him, his heart raced when Envy held the gun more securely in his hand, “Should I be more like Pride?”


	3. disobey

Delirious and Wildcat watched the heated exchange in front of them. They were hidden on the staircase, the edge making them obscure, and the rain helped mask them. Delirious was impressed by the one who had a gun pointed in front of them, he managed to stay calm, his voice was monotonous, which made Delirious think this happened often, or he expected it to happen. Either way, he was impressed on how he was dealing with it.

“Who’s he?” Delirious asked Wildcat. He met up with him near their vehicle, but Delirious spotted the confrontation, and out of curiosity, they decided to watch.

“Intelligence agent: Pride,” Wildcat answered, his gaze steady on the two men.

“He’s active?”

“Has been for a couple of years. He’s not the type to work with others, or have his allies betray him. Must be an off day.”

Delirious slowly nodded. He didn’t look in the least phased by the betrayal. He was surprised his ex-partner, _Envy_ , didn’t just shoot him by how arrogant Pride sounded. Maybe they worked with each other for a long time that Envy got used to Pride’s passive insults.

“What do you think we should do?” Delirious asked.

“Wait until happy trigger finger dies.”

“You don’t think Pride will die?”

“He’s the team leader who gives no shit that there’s a fucking gun in his face. If anyone is going to die, it'll be the guy with the gun.”

“Did everyone else join in with this ridiculous plan?” Pride asked, his entire body was relaxed.

Envy sneered. “We all don’t like you.”

“I’m not surprised, when did Greed decide on this mutiny? I was expecting this two years ago.”

Wildcat snickered, “This guy would fit in with us, his dry wit matched with all of ours, man...we should ask him to defect and join our group.”

Delirious frowned. “You’re serious? He seems like an asshole.”

Wildcat arched a brow. “You’re talking to a guy who’s the biggest asshole in our group, and you’re calling this dry witted fucker an asshole? Delirious, are you okay?”

“Fuck you, I was just saying.”

They turned back to the two men, and the man with the gun was shaking, his face filled with rage.

“Looks like Pride is about to get his ass handed to him,” Delirious muttered.

The rain poured harder around them, and with a flash of lightning above, it happened swiftly that Delirious barely knew what was going on until it was finished.

Pride had stepped forward, and he was quick enough to shove the gun to the side, which made Envy pull the trigger. Pride twisted Envy’s wrist, eliciting a pained groan from his lips, before Pride kneed him in the stomach, wrenching the gun from his hand and hitting Envy across the face with the gun, knocking him out.

With that altercation, Delirious stood up with his own gun pointed at the back of Pride’s head. “That was entertaining.” Pride looked up and narrowed his eyes at him, that same dead expression he had with Envy was unsettling, no wonder his ex-team member was pissed.

Wildcat sighed and stood with him.

Pride examined them, but his entire expression changed close to familiarity, dampening the remorseless attitude he displayed. “You’re Lui’s subordinates.”

Delirious furrowed his brows, glancing at Wildcat who wore a similar confused expression on his face. He tightened his hold on the gun, while Wildcat took a step closer to Pride who didn’t seem bothered that a second gun was pointed at his face in a matter of seconds.

“How the fuck do you know Lui?” Wildcat asked.

Pride stared at him, but didn’t say anything.

Wildcat glared, a frustrated noise left his lips. “Tell me, you fucking bastard!”

“Lui is well known,” Delirious offered.

Wildcat shook his head. “No fucking way. This asshole looked at us like he knew us, meaning he fucking did research on our entire group. He knows Lui personally, or maybe they spoke a few times over the years, or maybe I don’t fucking know. But he knows him, and I want a fucking answer!” He slammed the gun against Pride’s face, he grunted and almost toppled to the side, blood made its way from his nose.

Delirious’s comm beeped in his ear. He pressed a small button on the side of it, “Yeah?”

“Where are you and Wildcat?” Lui asked on the other line.

Speak of the devil. “We were watching a mutiny of some kind, but found ourselves in front of a guy that knows you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you,” Delirious said, watching Pride glance at him, his eyes didn’t say much, nor did his mouth. He simply stayed quiet, even with his flesh wound, blood seeping from his nose, the rain making it more diluted in color.

“A lot of people know me,” Lui said, sounding less arrogant than Pride when he was talking to his ex-team member.

“Yeah, that’s what I said.”

“What’s his name?”

“Uh…Pride.”

“Pride?” Lui said. Delirious caught the hesitation in his voice, he whispered the question, and it seemed like he was asking himself instead of Delirious. Lui knew something about this guy. “Bring him in.”

“What?” Delirious’s outburst earned him a confused glare from Wildcat.

“I want to speak with him.”

He stared at Wildcat who looked ready to hit Pride again in the face, and didn’t think of the questions filling his head when he said, “Okay.” Dropping his hand from the comm, “We’re bringing him with us.”

Wildcat sneered. “Are you fucking serious?”

Delirious shrugged in response, and when his gaze fell on Pride, there was something cold and dead about him that was disturbing.

Wildcat holstered his gun, and Delirious took out the zipties. “Turn around.”

Pride did, placing his hands behind his back.

“Now you’re submissive,” Wildcat muttered.

Delirious wrapped the zip ties around his wrists and tightened them. He grabbed Pride’s weapons, then Wildcat dragged him toward the stairs. “Don’t fucking do anything fishy, you got that? Or I’ll shoot you and I’ll have fun telling Lui you fell out of the moving vehicle on a busy highway.”

“It’s late,” Delirious said, following after them.

“Shut up,” Wildcat said, glaring at him from over his shoulder.

Delirious watched the dark corners that surrounded the back entrance of the building. They sauntered into the shadows of the trees that hid them, and came upon a vehicle. Wildcat shoved Pride into the back. Delirious started up the vehicle and watched Wildcat look back at the building, making sure no one was following them.

“Get in the fucking middle,” Wildcat barked, and Delirious caught a hint of a smile tugging at Pride’s lips

He moved in the center of the back seat and caught Delirious watching him. He clutched the steering wheel, eager to get out of this area before his allies come and—and what exactly, they were staging a mutiny on their leader who didn’t look in anyway surprised. Why would they care if Pride was taken? It didn’t look like he minded.

Wildcat slid into the passenger seat, grumbling under his breath and impatiently telling Delirious to drive.

He didn’t need to be told twice. He drove from the shadows and onto the road, away from the facility and its scavenged secrets. What he was more interested in was who Pride was to Lui.

He figured they looked familiar, they did work with several organizations over the years, but they never worked for the _Seven Deadly Sins_ , or in other words, Madhouse.

They kept to themselves and rarely interacted with anyone, and when they were on the hunt, they found their prize without any problems. Which returned him to the issue that the leader of this infamous group was sitting behind him with his mouth shut when he was talking shit to his ex-ally not mere minutes ago before they interrupted.

Once they were close their headquarters, Wildcat ordered Delirious to pull over. When he did, Wildcat got out and covered Pride’s head face from knowing where they were stationed. He said nothing the entire time, but there was a knowing look in his eyes before his face was shrouded.

Something was off about this, he didn’t know what, but this wasn’t right. Nothing about this was right.

Once Wildcat got back into the vehicle, Delirious drove the rest of the way to their headquarters. Wildcat informed their friends they returned, and with baggage. Apparently Lui was taking his time returning. Delirious parked inside the garage, the cool air within their headquarters was more refreshing than the stuffy vehicle with an angry, cursing man beside him, and an infamous operative sitting in the back.

Wildcat reached into the back seat, grabbed Pride by his arm and yanked him out. He looked lighter, and stumbled when his feet hit the ground. Wildcat jerked him back, muttering another curse.

“Take him somewhere unfamiliar,” Wildcat told Delirious, glaring at the back of Pride’s head. “I have to take this shit off and find out where Lui is.”

“Alright,” Delirious said, grasping Pride’s arm and leading him out of the garage and down several halls, he spotted Moo and Terroriser and waved at them, they looked confused by who he was dragging along, but Delirious shrugged before pulling Pride into a locker room. He sat him down on a metal bench and pulled the cover from his face.

Pride blinked from the bright lights above them, before gazing at Delirious. He was still stubbornly keeping his mouth shut.

Delirious didn’t bother saying anything either and stared back. He wasn’t as remarkable as he thought he was, but there was something clean cut about him. He was quite muscular beneath his clothes and tactical vest, his short black hair was recently cut, and his face was clean from any imperfections. He had normal brown eyes, and a firm set of lips. He looked like many operatives he met in the past.

They sat in silence until Wildcat opened the door, his gaze settling on Pride who didn’t look away from Delirious. “Lui is on his way.” This got a reaction out of Pride, his head moved slightly to the side and he seemed to realize the movement before he went back to looking at Delirious.

Wildcat sat down on the bench beside Delirious. “Lui said we can interrogate him.”

“I don’t think he’s going to say anything,” Delirious said, frowning at Pride who looked unresponsive.

“I don’t give a fuck, this asshole is going to answer our fucking questions or I’m bringing out a few toys that will make him talk,” Wildcat threatened, sneering at Pride who turned his attention to him with a disgusted expression, Delirious also had the same reaction. “Shut the fuck up.”

“We didn’t say anything,” Delirious said, “you’re the one implying—”

“I ain’t implying shit.” Wildcat pulled out his gun and placed it to Pride’s knee which made him tense, “you’re going to answer our questions and if not, I’m taking your kneecap.”

Pride’s glare deepened, but he said nothing.

Delirious rolled his eyes, he nudged Wildcat’s hand away from Pride’s knee, which in turn relaxed him. “Let’s not become antagonistic to Lui’s guest.” He grinned when Pride glanced at him, another reaction at Lui’s name. They did know each other. Delirious leaned forward, clasping his hands together, “Do you know why your group betrayed you?”

Pride stared intently at Delirious and said, “Yes.”

Delirious blinked. He didn’t realized he was going to answer him, but it was too late to try and lie when he came willingly.

“You do?” Wildcat asked, confused.

Pride kept his eyes on Delirious. “I disobeyed a direct order a year ago.”

“Which is?” Delirious asked.

“I was meant to assassinate Lui, but I didn’t.”

Delirious and Wildcat glanced at each other. It was the first time they heard about an assassination attempt targeting Lui in a long time, and usually Lui handled it before it could be executed.

“Why?” Wildcat asked.

Pride breathed in and let out a slow breath, as if the truth itself was hard on him. “Because we know each other...before we joined different factions. I couldn’t kill him. I don’t mind assassinating people, but since I disobeyed a direct order to kill Lui, they saw me as a liability.”

Lui never mentioned knowing one of the core members of Madhouse. Even when it was brought up, he never said he knew anyone. Why keep this a secret?

“What would be the point in killing Lui?” Wildcat asked, his annoyance seemed to fade as the answers came without force.

“To establish control of your faction. Nothing else.”

Before Delirious and Wildcat could say anything, the door opened and Lui stepped inside. His lips parted as his eyes fell on Pride who straightened, staring back.

“Evan.


	4. his promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evan speaks to Lui, and considers what he's going to do with his former allies.

He didn’t know why, but he felt smaller in Lui’s presence. He told his two operatives to leave them, and they both protested, but Lui said he can handle himself. Which Evan knew he could from the reputation he managed to build over these short years.

Lui sat across from him, his smile was broad. “It has been a long time, Evan.”

“You make it sound like it’s been a decade.”

“Feels like it. Last time I saw you was on that road with Joanna. I didn’t think I’d see you again after that decision, but—”

“I’m fine, Lui,” Evan said, knowing where Lui was going with this. It was a long time, at least it seemed like it. Four-five years ago, he worked for different people, that was the last time he ever spoke with Lui. He learned of him as the years went by, and Evan was glad that he survived all these years.

“Pride,” Lui said, quirking a brow.

Evan shrugged. “It wasn’t my idea.”

Lui nodded, he glanced to the door and back at Evan, a conflicted look passed over his face. "I'm guessing betrayal doesn't always happen from the scenario my operatives described"

Envy wasn’t as strong as he made himself out to be. Not when he was the one holding the gun. Boasting about how they all hated him, and that they wanted him gone for a long time. Evan didn’t need the reminder, he already knew how they felt about him.

“Yeah. I guess they were planning to kill me for sometime. I was expecting to end up buried in an unmarked grave in the desert. Or a coffin, thrown into the ocean." He shrugged again, smiling at the idea that they could’ve done it, but they waited too long.

“Since you’re unemployed and a potential target. How about you join up with us?” Lui asked. It seemed like an innocent suggestion, a new start without a bunch of idiots betraying him.

“I don’t know,” Evan said, breaking eye contact and looking down at his feet. His shoes made a squelching noise, and he was uncomfortable in his soaked clothes.

“Fine,” Lui said, “how about you stay with us, have a place where you can lie low from your former allies.”

“It’ll be a nice and deserved rest from all the bullshit,” Evan said.

Lui nodded. “Exactly. Is that a yes?”

Evan smiled, “Yeah.”

Lui stood, and he said something that was in the back of his mind, an afterthought, one that would need tending too. Except Lui spoke the words without a care in the world, no judgment, no hate. A simple realization and humor that meant to be half hearted, but to him it wasn't, and Lui knew that.

“Good. And once you’re ready, you can hunt them all down, and kill them.”

Evan’s lips parted, but no words escaped him. Lui gestured for him to follow him and Evan did. They stepped into the hallway. He caught sight of two men sitting around a table, they were playing cards with beers next to them. One of them caught his attention, his gaze was peculiar, but Evan didn’t linger on them when he followed Lui.

There wasn’t any stairs from what it looked like. It had to be one floor. A warehouse? Except that was too obvious, and they were all content in their hideout. A bunker. He mentioned it, but at the time, he didn't care. People and their superstitions, but this was unlike anything he thought. It was for a bunch of mercenaries.

Lui lead him into a room and opened the closet doors. “This room has been empty for sometime.” It wasn’t as small, but there was a bed with a blue blanket on top, including a lone white pillow. “The bathroom is down the hall.” Lui picked up a brown duffel bag and placed it on the bed, he unzipped it, and showed Evan what was inside.

Folded clothes and a few essentials. Even a toothbrush sitting inside a thin package. And a tube of toothpaste, unused.

“Thanks,” Evan said, unsure of what to say.

“Your earpiece, Tyler and Jonathan must’ve forgot to take it out.” Lui pointed at it sitting in Evan’s ear. Since their betrayal, he heard nothing and didn’t bother trying to talk to any of his former allies.

He took it out and passed it to Lui who curled his fingers around it.

“Do you have anything else that could lead them here? I’d rather not have this place compromised, it took a lot to hide it.” Lui glanced around with a genuine smile.

“No, we don’t use trackers.” He now understood why that was after Envy pointed a gun at him, and Greed’s involvement to take over as team leader.

“Okay. If you want to meet the others they’ll be...all over the place...I don’t keep track of them,” Lui said.

Evan nodded. “I’ll stay in here for awhile, take off this crap.”

“Alright, I’ll come get you once someone cooks some food,” Lui said, he headed for the door and closed it. Leaving Evan alone inside the small room.

He tugged his holster and his vest off, dropping them on the bed. He proceeded to take most of the soft padding around his knees and arms.

Picking up the duffel bag, he left the bedroom and walked across the hall. The bathroom was large and he found the showers not too far away. He opened a cabinet that had the label TOWELS on the side. Grabbing one, he walked across the room and opened a stall and locked it behind him.

He got undressed, placed his clothes near the duffel bag and pushed it outside of the stall. He turned the faucet on, and when he got it to the right temperature. He stood in the shower by himself. He was indifferent to the events that had transpired. He felt nothing toward their betrayal, but because they finally acted up on it. He wanted to do something about it. He wanted to get back at them.

He found a bar of soap, and two bottles that had a label on the sides, shampoo and conditioner. It was cheap, but he didn’t linger on it. Once he finished showering. He reached for the white towel and dried off. Dragging the duffel bag back into the stall where he changed into the clothes Lui offered him.

A black plain t-shirt, black pants, including a red and white sweater. He kept the sweater unzipped while pulling the white socks over his feet. He felt a little lighter, but it didn’t shed off the weight he felt toward his former allies.

He spent three years with them, and when he realized none of them wanted to be friends. He kept them at a distance, they seemed obvious in their dangerous intent, and so he had to be as well. It was bad enough their superiors promoted him to team leader and managed to piss everyone off.

Evan dropped the duffel bag back into the room and wandered around the bunker. He soon came upon a engraved label on the front of a door.

SHOOTING RANGE

Evan’s brows rose, a smirk rising to his lips. Even if he couldn’t shoot his former allies in the head for betraying him. He could pretend for the next few hours. Evan pushed the door opened and walked down the steps and into a larger room. There was no one inside. He walked over to a booth amongst others beside it and there was already a gun lying on it, including a full magazine.

He smirked, picked up the magazine and pushed it into the gun. He pointed at the target, and he thought of Envy out in the rain, his voice strained, and Greed’s face. Her satisfied grin when she killed others for what they had. Her rage was more prominent when she glared at him once they announced him as team leader. She wanted it more than he did, and now that she had it. Evan had the undeniable urge to take it away from her, to watch her fall.

Evan pulled the trigger with that promise in his veins. It was selfish and childish. He didn’t want to admit that all he felt was contempt for them, and himself for letting it happen.


	5. shooting range

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delirious and Wildcat are interested in knowing who Evan is to Lui, and Delirious confesses.

Delirious caught a glimpse of the door to the SHOOTING RANGE closing while he walked down the hall, hoping to find Lui. It looked like whatever conversation he was having with Pride, or Evan, had ended. And he was hoping to find some answers.

Wildcat was leaned against the doorpost, arms crossed and looking annoyed. He always did. Like a brewing storm in the horizon. They only had time to flee from its rage, and sometimes it was only soft rain on the silver pavement. Time went on, and his storm became normal to them. A sort of wonder that made them laugh, a giddiness inside their stomachs, butterflies escaping their mouths. It always seemed to ease his storm away, bringing out some sun from beyond the dark clouds in his eyes.

“Hey,” Delirious greeted, coming up beside him.

Wildcat grunted, his gaze passive. “He’s teaching Moo and Terroriser how to get into the security cameras at the mall.”

Delirious frowned, it wasn’t something he wanted to hear. The three of them sat inside the room, bunched up and looking at two different computers. Moo wore a concentrated expression with Lui shaking his head beside him.

“I told you, that isn’t how you do it,” Lui said.

Terroriser leaned to the side where he began teaching Moo himself. Moo’s expression softened, and he watched, tilting his head to the side and asking questions. Terroriser nodded and replied to each one.

Lui noticed Delirious and Wildcat, he muttered something to Terroriser and rose from his chair. He walked over to them, and said, “I’m guessing you two have questions.”

“Yeah,” Wildcat said, narrowing his eyes, “Why the hell are we keeping an enemy in the base? Did you at least put him in a cell?”

Lui chuckled, walking past them. “No. I didn’t do that. I gave him a room.”

That was unexpected. “Why?” Delirious asked.

They sauntered into the kitchen where Lui pulled the fridge door open and took out a fruit cup. He turned to them while pulling the plastic off. “Why not?”

“He’s an _enemy_ ,” Wildcat emphasized, “if you haven’t forgotten.”

Lui nodded, and it felt almost like he was dealing with children by the way he was looking at them as if they were the stupid ones. “I’m sure the both of you forgotten, he was _betrayed_ by his own allies.”

“So,” Wildcat responded with little care.

Strange. Why was Lui taking this in stride? Evan recognized Lui, and vice versa. Lui called him by his real name instead of the name his allies were calling him by. There was a familiarity that rose between them the moment Lui stepped into the locker room.

“How do you know him?” Delirious asked.

Lui chewed on a piece of a fruit. “If you must know.” He opened a drawer and took out a spoon. "I was smuggling about five years ago, an odd job for odd people. It was meant to be easy, and I guess it was. Evan was there too, conducting his own job. He knew what he as doing, and we were later assigned to each other when our handlers decided we worked well together." He shrugged, dipping the spoon into the small container. 

“And?” Wildcat asked, gesturing with his hands. “What happened next? You never mentioned him before.”

“We worked with each other for a year, and he was offered a different job with a woman named Joanna." He had a pile of fruit on his spoon and ate it, "she picked him up out in the desert, and I haven’t seen him since. I kept tabs on his activities, but we haven’t spoken until now.

Delirious and Wildcat exchanged glances. “You trust him?” asked Delirious.

Lui nodded, scraping out more fruit. “Yeah. As much as I trust everyone else in this base.”

Wildcat scowled. “Not as much if you’re keeping secrets from us.”

Lui shrugged, looking less bothered than he should be. “There was no point in talking about him. He was with Madhouse, and I was...here with the rest of you.”

Lui always looked like he was telling the truth. It was hard to spot his lies. Delirious decided to let it go, and he walked away, letting Wildcat grumble his own complaints.

Delirious was curious about this person, who he truly was. He was fast, versatile, and didn’t fear death from the way he had two guns pointed at his face in a matter of minutes.

Delirious pushed the door open to the SHOOTING RANGE. He walked down the steps and heard the sounds of a gun going off. He found Evan standing in the booth, and no one else occupied the room. Delirious watched him. He was good. Shooting every target as they switched. He handled the gun well, he would’ve been a dangerous enemy if he hadn’t been betrayed.

Evan placed the gun down, reaching for a magazine. “Are you going to continue watching me?”

“I’m admiring,” said Delirious.

Evan scoffed, and went back to shooting his gun. He spent another ten minutes shooting the targets. When he finished, he turned around, the gun gone from his hand.

“I’m guessing you asked Lui about our past.”

Delirious kept his gaze steady on Evan’s. “We were curious of who the hell you are to Lui. And why you’re here instead of a cell.”

Evan grinned, “A cell wouldn’t hold me.”

“Sure. That’s what most men say when they’re being arrogant.”

Evan didn’t reply. He turned and went back to shooting. Pressing the button on the side when he finished. The targets moved toward him, and he reached out for one, examining the bullet holes that gone through each of the middle targets.

“You’re good,” Delirious comments.

Evan turned, smiling. “I’m a lot better than my former allies. They couldn’t even hit a target if they wanted too. That’s how incompetent they are. Envy couldn’t even kill me without breaking down.”

Delirious chuckled, and he caught Evan’s confused expression. “You’re a lot more arrogant than I took you for.”

Evan shrugged, rolling up the target. “It’s true.”

“Lui’s better,” Delirious pointed out, and he caught Evan go stiff, and somehow it brought him satisfaction. Even when Evan didn’t bother denying this fact. “I’m not so bad myself.”

Evan examined him with a dead look. He crossed his arms in front of him, and said, “Can I ask you something.”

“Sure.”

“Who killed Wrath?”

The darkness covered him where he stood against the wall. Listening to the footfalls of the first who wandered into the room. It was a moment to relish control, to feel it in his heart that was as calm as when he pulled the trigger.

Delirious couldn’t stop his own cocky smirk. “I did. Side of the head.” Evan stared at him, but he didn’t move to say anything, or even attack him for what he did to his former comrade. When Delirious knew he wasn’t going to do anything. Delirious walked to the door and left the room.

_Wrath._

What a strange alias. They really wanted to personalize each other to their dominant trait. Evan stared at him with no anger or happiness, there was nothing inside his eyes. There wasn’t even pride that could go along with killing his former ally. No satisfaction that he could find. It sent a shiver up Delirious’s spine. He didn’t know why that bothered him.


	6. revenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evan has a moment to reflect on his former friends and his newer ones.

He needed a moment to process that Delirious killed Wrath. He watched him leave the room, the door slowly closing shut. He didn’t care that Wrath was dead. It made no difference that Greed was gathering a mutiny amongst him. It only meant one less member to deal with. And Wrath was trigger happy and blood thirsty. He liked to enter the battle before everyone else. Desiring the taste of screams falling to silence. A gorey mess that swore, drank his nights away, and fucked when he wanted too, until another mission rose to their interest.

He wasn’t bad looking, his attitude destroyed Evan’s outlook on him. A disappointment that made him look away with annoyance. His smirk and temper is what drew Evan toward him for awhile. The others didn’t like him, and Evan took a bit slower to get that into his thick skull that Wrath should’ve ended six feet under a long time ago. 

He cleaned his hands of him, and he felt nothing for his death. A solemn retribution on his part that made him pick up the gun and continue shooting until he was tired. 

Placing the gun down, the silence suffocated him, and he almost started laughing. A curve of his lips split into a grin. 

He recognized Delirious’s voice on the radio when he mocked Wrath’s death. 

Again, it took him a moment asking himself where he heard his voice as another gun was trained to the center of his face minutes after.

Shot in the side of the head that sent a ricochet to Gluttony who blew up a building out of excitement. 

How poetic to a man that jumped head first into danger. If only he knew that someone was bound to kill him if he wasn’t watching. 

There was no point in wondering about him. He was dead. Gone. And Evan had to think about his part in Greed’s mutiny. Wrath didn’t care about any of them. Why would he care who was leader of the group? 

And why would he care about Greed? 

Did Greed say something to him, offer him something so he could betray Evan? Not like it mattered. Wrath didn’t like him either.

At least he was dead. 

All that mattered now was how he was going to kill the other five. He knew the lesser ones would be easier. They weren’t as smart as he and Greed were. He needed a plan. He needed time and resources to find where they all are. Sneak his way toward each of them and take them out. Did they forget how dangerous he was? Betraying him was the wrong move. Giving the part to Envy who shook before him, spouting his jealousy in his face as Evan cared if anyone of them hated him. He didn’t like them either. 

Pathetic.

Greed probably wanted him to kill Envy, get him out of the way while the others thrive. Betrayal. It was obvious on her face whenever someone got in her way. It took years for him to stay off her path, but maybe he was always on it. He was useful. He knew he was. One of their best, not until he was assigned as the leader and her jealousy was too raw on her face, her eyes darkened and glazed over with plans that she’d usurp what he held. 

He didn’t care what she did, nor did he care about the prize she wanted. He didn’t like the spotlight as much as she figured he did. There was however, a part of him, that enjoyed her disgusted scowl. Grumbling under her breath like a child who didn’t get what they wanted. Pathetic. He respected his allies enough not to say what was on his mind in front of them. But she made him an enemy, and he was allowed to do whatever he wanted.

She should’ve killed him herself. Got it over with instead of using Envy. It was a mockery if Envy succeeded, but they both knew he wouldn’t have. Younger and less impressionable on the others, a little skilled in his field. Either way, he couldn’t pull the trigger and live with the consequences. Eventually he’d do something reckless, and Greed would still have her win.

He wouldn’t let her. 

He had to find her, eliminate her. First, he needed a plan, something that would help him find them, kill them, and finally be rid of the people he worked with for over three years. And maybe he could disappear and live another life. 

That was the plan. 

Evan set the gun down and left the SHOOTING RANGE. He headed back upstairs and went to the bedroom Lui gave him. Lying down, he stared at the white ceiling above him. Somehow he’d have to thank Lui, show his gratitude. In all these years, he never thought he could make a friend, one that was more loyal than the assholes he worked with. 

Including the people he was with. Delirious and Wildcat. They were suspicious of him, with good reason. How did Lui find people like them? Was he truly that lucky of a man? Maybe he was so lucky that he was able to find Evan in the worst situation, have two guns in front of his face, only to have his own comrades be the ones who captured him. 

Luck. 

It stayed with Lui and he knew that it wasn’t about to leave him any time soon. 

Evan smiled, he hoped he’d share some with him, he’s going to need it when he finds his former allies. And the excitement of catching them off guard and killing them gave him a more interesting purpose than waiting for missions. 

This was revenge of a betrayal they shouldn’t have gone close to touching. 


	7. the death of

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delirious walks in on Lui and Evan finding out the contract on Evan's assassination, including the plan they have for Evan's former allies.

The next few days were mind numbing. Delirious sleeping with the thought of getting jumped with a knife cutting into his jugular or even the whisper of a gun pressed against the side of his head. He always woke up fumbling through with his blankets that was tucked between his legs and around his waist.

Falling on the floor woke up him up. His paranoia was getting to him.

Delirious plucked an apple from the fridge in the kitchen and wandered down the hall. It was quiet until he followed a soft noise that grew louder as he entered the sparring room. He spotted most of his friends standing on the side, and in the center on the blue mats was Evan tossing Moo over his shoulder, pulling back his arm, and setting his knee against his back. He kept Moo in place, a grin splitting his face.

“Okay,” Moo said, hitting the mat with his free hand, “I give, I give.”

Evan let go and moved back. “At least you know when to lose.”

"I can't." Delirious dropped his apple core next to the wall and sauntered onto the mat.

Evan narrowed his eyes at him as he helped Moo to his feet. “You seem like the type that would lie that you won.”

Delirious grinned. “I’m proof that I win every fight.” A warm sensation fluttered inside of him when Evan’s jaw clenched. He knew he was thinking about his former comrade, including the time when he and Tyler captured him for Lui. He wouldn’t deny that Evan came willingly, but he would say that if they wanted too, they could’ve easily killed Evan.

Evan moved back once Moo stepped off the mat. “Let’s go then.”

Delirious cracked his wrists and knuckles, he rolled back his shoulders. “Pride ain’t getting you anywhere, at least not with me.”

“It got me far enough,” Evan smirked, “I guess I’m proof of that since I’m still alive.”

Delirious growled, and then they were at each other. Delirious reached out and almost grabbed a hold of Evan’s wrist, but Evan elbowed him, then slammed his fist into Delirious’s face. He stumbled back, blinking from the impact. He heard Evan chuckle, and he clenched his teeth. Curling his fists, he fought Evan again, their movements quick, and Evan almost punching him in the face again. Except this time, he managed to kick at Evan’s leg, which made him grunt, and Delirious reached for his wrist, pulled it behind him and kicked at the back of his leg.

“Who has the upper hand now,” Delirious asked, laughing. He shoved Evan down onto his stomach, and before he could turn over, he brought Evan’s arm back and he went still.

“Okay…” Evan gritted out.

Delirious let go of him and moved back, watching Evan slowly get to his feet. His glare darkened in his brown eyes.

“Again,” Evan said, voice rough as he curled his fingers at his sides.

The same flutter made Delirious laugh. “If you really want to lose that much.”

Evan said nothing when he lunged for him. Again, they fought each other, Delirious taking another jab to the stomach, but he ducked when Evan tried hitting him. He caught onto Evan’s fighting tactics and used it to his advantage.

“Looks like you’re not so great after all. He didn’t bother suppressing his laughter. He found the furrow of his brows and the fire in his eyes amusing. Never has he tried not to make someone angry. Wasn’t in his nature to consider someone’s smile could be less false than someone’s anger. At least to a stranger, Evan had a way with him that was unlike the others. His fire was there, but he was calm. Those types of people you don’t want to go near unless you’re sure you can take them. Calm people know way to much, they can study a person, and they can win any battle set before them.

Raw strength coiled in his body, but it was Delirious who was more nimble. Grasping his arm, pulling back and kicking at the back of Evan’s leg. Once more, he fell, and Delirious didn’t bother letting him go so he could get back up. He went down with him, placing his knee on his lower back to keep him placed against the mat, while he gripped his arm to restrain him.

“Done yet?” Delirious asked next to his ear, watching Evan twitch beneath him.

“Done.” No defeat in his voice, nothing but a slight edge of pride slipping from his fingertips. He wasn’t even embarrassed, but maybe there was a lot on his mind. Losing to someone like him wasn’t exactly on his list of things to do.

He let Evan stand and backed away. Watching the fire burn at the edges, and knew Evan wasn’t in the mood to have another fight. He was only warming up, and he’d rather set fire to the ones who betrayed him. Delirious liked it, wanted to stick his arm into that fire and watch his skin drip from his bones.

He didn’t bother to watch the next few fights and wandered back to his bedroom. He slept for most of the remaining day, and when he got up. He found himself coming around the corner to Evan and Lui talking in the lounge. The others weren’t around, and they didn’t notice Delirious standing in the threshold, listening in on their conversation.

“Lust will be easier,” Evan said, his arms crossed over his chest. His hair was wet, and his skin looked smooth. He looked like he took a shower after the sparring matches. He wore a simple black shirt and jeans, his feet covered with white socks.

“You know where he is?” Lui asked, scrutinizing the screen of his laptop.

Evan nodded. “He likes his hunting ground. Wouldn’t ditch it even if I’m the threat.” He glanced up at Delirious, regarding his presence before diverting his gaze to Lui. Watching him type on the keyboard.

Delirious stepped into the room, tilting his head to the side to look at what Lui was doing. Lui clicked on a page, sat back, and let out a laugh. A number was on the front of the screen, including something else that looked more like a contract.

“They sent it in,” Lui said.

Evan sat down beside Lui and one glance at what was on the screen made him scoff. “I’m going to have fun killing them.”

“Eighty thousand,” Delirious said, frowning. “You’re pissed for the hit? Figured you’d know.”

“I did,” Evan answered, “but I was expecting a larger number.”

There it was again, the whiny tone in his voice. He may sound angry, but there was something more childish about him. Something calm and easy, and not so guarded as he was before.

“Your arrogance is getting the best of you,” he said with a smile.

Evan narrowed his eyes, and said, “I expected them to consider more than eighty thousand for my death. I guess it makes sense. Greed never liked to lose money.” He looked away, glaring at the white wall across from him and Lui. In these silent moments, Delirious knew he was keeping secrets from them. Or maybe he was keeping his rage from escaping before he could give it to the ones who deserved it the most.

“We can help you,” Lui suggested, clicking the small box in the corner and the page disappeared.

Evan shook his head. “No. This has nothing to do with any of you.”

“But you’re a friend,” Lui said.

A silence strained between the three of them, and Evan stared down at the keyboard, his brows pinching together. Delirious could see the thoughts linking together, considering Lui’s proposition, and at the same time, finding a way to reject him.

“We’re competent,” Delirious said.

Evan smirked, but it held nothing when he said, “So was my former allies, but look what happened.”

He really knew how to rile someone up, and before Delirious could say something, and possibly piss them both off.

Lui said, “We won’t get in your way. Let us help you.”

“I don’t know. I don’t think I want other people in my way when I do this.”

When he hunts them down and murders them. Not like it happened before, many organizations always want credence in the revenge they took. They sometimes had the same response, but no one truly came after them. Their numbers stayed the same.

Delirious accepted that Evan should be the one to do this on his own.

“We won’t be in your way. We’ll be your backup, in case something were to happen,” Lui said. He always found a way around something, the one most people underestimated, and some didn’t like to decline the offer he suggests to them.

“And you think something will?” Evan asked, dryly.

“You have to trust us,” Delirious said, but Evan shot him a glare.

“Last time I trusted someone, they decided to betray me.” His words were laced with poison and rage.

Delirious sneered back, his resolve to help was shrinking by the second.

“We won’t get in the way,” Lui says, ignoring Evan’s rage, and Delirious. “Promise.”

Evan slumped his shoulders, letting go of his frustration. “Fine. You guys can be my backup.”

“Where are they?” Lui asked, bringing up a map on the computer.

Evan clicked his tongue. “We should go for Lust, he should be at Nightingale.”

Delirious looked away the second the name left Evan’s lips. His former ally was at a strip club. One he didn’t bother bringing up that he knew the place quite well.

“Okay,” Lui said, standing up. “It’s an hour into the city, and another half to get to the nightclub in the traffic we’ll be dealing with”

Delirious turned on his heel and headed out of the room. Terroriser popped his head from around the corner, glancing at Delirious and then at Lui.

“What’s going on? Where are you going?”

“Nightingale,” Delirious answered, walking past him.

“You’re coming with us, get your shit ready,” Lui said.

Terroriser chuckled, following after them down the hall. “Dude. It’s not even my birthday.”

“We’re not celebrating your birthday, idiot.”

Delirious heard Evan who was walking behind them, the emptiness when he said, “We’re celebrating the death of Lust.”


	8. pastel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evan locates Lust, but he's disappointed.

Nightingale was covered in black lights and an epileptic light that flashed throughout the room. The music was jumbled to something close to alternative rock and heavy rock, sometimes even pop and rap music. The room was always dark, clogged with people who clustered in the center of the room and some around the pillars that held up the top floor. The stink of sweat was potent, including the sweet smell of alcohol that followed after it.

Delirious and Terroriser were dancing with the music when they entered. Lui was beside him, watching with an amused smile. He always took things in stride, but Evan couldn’t do that. He was too preoccupied in scanning the room, trying to find the imprints that Lust could easily have left. He hung around an entourage of people that dressed similar to him.

Mannequin’s he once joked. Dolls for him to play with when he was bored of himself. He’d dressed them up and played with their hair. He loved them a bit more than someone would, but Evan never saw it as love. It was a perversion upon himself. Bleached hair, short above pale skin covered in silver glitter. Their eyebrows were always shaved off, and their eyes were thick in black eyeliner and eyeshadow of various bright colors. They wore pastel colored clothes that matched his own. He always wanted the ones who were thin, who were sickly, and emotionless compromising when all he could do to them was break them.

He loved that the most. Breaking his toys until they resembled him. All their thoughts were of him, and it made Evan sick that Lust was able to become something more than a party boy in a crowd of people with drugs in their system.

He was good at killing and lacked awareness of his own crippling emotions. Using alcohol to shed the pressure from shattering his mind completely. It didn’t stop him from being cruel. He had a sick fascination with knives. Gliding the edge into the skin and making sure he was meticulous about it until he grew impatient.

Evan watched one of his sessions, and Lust had mocked him for the criticism he gave.

_“You could never be as cruel as ones pride,” Lust had said with a rising smirk. “Pride is like a mirror, and mirrors can break.”_

An idle threat that Evan never took seriously, but he knew that Lust possibly was the second person to raise his hand in betraying him. He was close to Greed, and they were quite the pair when they spoke of secrets and lies.

“What’s his real name?” Lui asked, leaning against Evan.

“Liam Turner,” Evan said, and chuckled when Lui arched a brow. “I’m serious. That’s his name.”

“I guess we know why he doesn’t like being referred to that name,” Lui said, stepping into the crowd and melting with the flickering lights.

This was why he didn’t like parties. People touching him, constantly grabbing and yanking him in every direction. Shoving him to a place he didn’t want to go to, not when his anger was so close to the surface. He found Delirious on the other side of the room, speaking to a blond haired woman wearing black revealing clothes. He noted the expressions on both of their faces. A raw need of interest scraping through words passing between their mouths.

Delirious looked away and caught his gaze. Evan kept staring.

“Think we found him,” Delirious said once he detached himself from the woman and came to stand beside him.

“Flirting on the job?” Evan asked him, following him passed the crowded tables and chairs. “Aren’t you a professional?”

“I usually do recon,” Delirious called back, his voice barely heard above the music that pulsed all around them.

Wrath came to mind. He didn’t know why.     A slight wince that irritated him, his hand went to his pocket where his gun sat within. The bouncer didn’t check them when they entered the club. Lui was persuasive when it came to stuff like that, at least he knows he hasn’t changed since the last time he seen him. He touched the outline and ignoring the urge to pull the trigger on some random idiot who continued to bump shoulders with him.

Past Delirious, he spotted Terroriser talking to a girl in a neon pink shirt with black mesh, and ripped denim shorts. She held a drink and swayed in her seat, but Terroriser didn’t seem all that bothered by it. He leaned closer, whispered something to her and made the woman laugh.

They were laid back, while Evan was fuming.

“Where is he?” he asked.

Delirious jutted his chin to the right and when Evan looked to a hallway guarded by two muscular men that led to the back rooms. “Some girls say they were trying to get back there, but some assholes won’t let them. I told them to describe them to me, and they said they were dressed in pastel colors that looked like soaked socks.” He laughed, pulling Terroriser away from the drunk girl.

“Find Lui,” Evan said, he was about to start walking toward the bodyguards when he was yanked back.

Delirious was in his face, his brows furrowed, confusion and anger mixing together in his eyes. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m going to kill Lust, like I said I would,” Evan replied, brushing Delirious’s hand off of him.

“And how are you going to get past the two bodyguards?” Delirious asked.

He hadn’t thought about that, but there was something that did come to mind. He grinned, hoping that it will work, he grabbed Delirious, and Terroriser who was looking more confused as the night continued and dragged them to the two bodyguards.

Evan smiled up at them, he took out his gun and shot one in the foot. The second body guard’s eyes widened, and the people close by who heard the gunshot started to scramble. The bodyguard reached for Evan, but he dragged Delirious in front of him and the bodyguard grabbed him instead.

“Evan!” Delirious struggled.

He didn’t have time to consider the consequences. He clutched the gun as he walked down the dark hallway lit by a purple light and found the room that was louder than the rest. He opened the door, and it was covered in pink and purple lights. The glass table that sat in the center had several glass drinks filled with Vodka and Whiskey, some beer bottles, a glass bong, cigarettes sitting on the cusp of a glass ashtray, several white lines of Cocaine near the edge beside a credit card, including pills and packets of weed.

He found a bleached blond haired man, his dark roots were coming through, and he was pasty, but it could be some kind of white powder that was making him look unnatural. He had contact lenses in that made his eyes more white and hid whatever drug he was currently on. While his clothes were a simple white shirt and black jeans. A girl with bright pink hair, trimmed to her nape, sat beside him, laughing with his arm draped over her shoulder. There were more like him, but some that weren’t.

And they all noticed him in a span of seconds before he raised the gun, and Lust’s smile faded so quickly, that when he fired. The bullet had shot through the couch where he was sitting. The glass table and all its contents fell to the ground, smashing in a rhythm of static sound that followed the girls scream, including the men who were in the room that stood in his way.

Evan was yanked back into the hall once the barrage of bullets punctured the air where he once stood. And Delirious was glaring at him, holding his own gun in his hand. Lui and Terroriser were beside him, both of them ready for a fight.

Maybe he did need back up for this.

If Lust hadn’t moved, he would’ve finished this quickly. But Lust wasn’t a part of a mercenary group for nothing. He was a lot more skilled than the average shooter. It took a bit of time, but even that was impatient for Lui, who sneaked by them and shot several that the sound of their bodies hitting the floor scared off the others.

“Death is a wonderful motivator,” Lui commented, mostly to himself.

Evan walked past him and into the room. The girl that was hanging around Lust was gone, and several of the bigger men were on the floor. Lui really knew how to pick them off. Except it wasn’t what he was interested in, and he knew seconds were ticking by that it was making the room smaller than it should feel.

Evan walked down the hallway where a door was swinging open. He heard the others behind him, their voices becoming distant as they distractions coaxed them to take a valuable opportunity.

“Whoa, look at all this money!”

“Come on, Brian,” Delirious called.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be right there. I want to grab some for the road.”

“Take whatever you can carry, do get the expensive stuff. I’d rather not be disappointed again,” Lui said, his voice more deadpan than it usually sounded.

Evan sprinted out the door and down the alley. He caught sight of the skinny bastard at the end, catching his breath against a brick wall. He looked translucent from afar, and maybe he wanted to look more like a ghost. Never stopped him from living the life he lived, always by the edge, always with something sick on the tip of his tongue when desire took over.

Evan pulls his gun and fires. Except Lust twists around, hiding behind a wall, but his arm sticks out, and the same echo fires back. Gritting his teeth, Evan has the urge to scream, to tell Lust to not run. But instead, he’s slammed against the cold wall as more bullets fly past him.

Delirious’s hold is heavy, and he tries fighting it, but he can’t escape the body that has him pinned.

“No,” Evan mutters, breathing heavily, “No. No! I have to kill him! I have to kill him!” He shoves Delirious off of him and ignores Delirious as he chases after Lust who is no longer standing by the end of the alley. When he skids around the corner, he sees Lust’s pastel form disappear into a sleek black car before driving off down the street.


	9. fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delirious tries to calm Evan down and in some way, comforts him.

Delirious stares at Evan’s tense posture as he gapes upon the empty street. There’s something about Evan that roots Delirious to the spot. He’s breathing hard from the way his shoulders move, fingers curling at his sides before he turns toward a wall and punches the surface. He screams. Not out of pain, but raw frustration. Again, he does it, over and over, until Delirious sees the splat of blood fling in the air. He saunters his way toward Evan and yanks him away from punching the wall.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he asked. An unnecessary question, but it falls from his lips as he shoves Evan against the wall near the blood. There’s a look of rage in his eyes, clenched teeth, and snarling like an animal.

“If you didn’t hold me back,” Evan spats, harsh and razor thin, “if you didn’t interfere. I would’ve—”

Delirious slams his hands on either side of Evan’s head. “You would’ve got shot,” he stated, his tone low, “you would’ve died, all in the name of pride just to kill them.”

“You have no idea how this fucking feels,” Evan says, his glare prominent in the shadow of the alley. He’s more of a monster, something Delirious shouldn’t go near, but he was never fond of staying away from monsters that played well with his.

“We’re trying to help you, and if I didn’t pull you away. Lust would’ve felt a bit more accomplished in the eyes of Greed. Is that what you want? To die and be laughed at by your former allies?”

“You shouldn’t have gotten in my way,” he says. A quiet rage underneath soft words. It’s almost a mantra to raise more of his unyielding temper.

Delirious stepped back. “Stop acting stupid. Running into a flurry of bullets doesn’t mean you’re invincible, it only means you’ll get shot. I saved your life and gave you an extra day to hunt them. Instead of punching walls and getting angry, how about you make another plan to find them, and quit wasting time arguing.”

Evan snarled in the shadow of the building, but said nothing to retort Delirious’s words. He knew he was right, and there was no reason to retract his own insults and desperation for murder and failure.

He turned on his heel and walked back to the club where Lui and Terroriser stood by the entrance. They were holding bags they didn’t have earlier, and were pleased with themselves.

“Lust got away,” he told them, his brows creasing at the words he’s been using lately. 

Terroriser tilted his head to the side. “What’s wrong with him?” 

“Nothing. He’ll be fine,” Delirious replied. He was unsure about that, Evan was obviously upset about losing Lust, and his anger is getting the best of him. “He injured his hand, so I think we should go back to the base and get it looked at.”

“And figure out if we can find the others,” Lui added.

Delirious didn’t look back at Evan to see if he was following once they entered the club. Instead of walking around, Lui led them through the crowd without much hassle, and they didn’t gain any suspicious gazes from what they had done from the bodyguards. Maybe it was something that oozed off of them. A kind of destructive aura floating around their bodies, maybe it was their eyes, or the less words they spoke that made the people move away. The normal ones who were there for a party, who wanted to dress up, and drink and dance under flashing lights. Even they knew something was wrong with them, and they moved to the sides, their gazes cautious, while others stood straighter and tried to look dangerous. 

Since the guns went off, Delirious figured the club would’ve been empty. Lui didn’t seem as surprised when he stepped outside and a crowd of people were speaking to police officers to their far left. They walked down the street and piled into the black SUV. 

Delirious didn’t say much as he stared out the window while Evan sat on the other side of him against his own window. His anger seemed to have deflated, but he was also shaking from the exertion and adrenaline singing in his body, a hollow echo that had died with each passing second. 

He may be a kindling fire for revenge, waiting it out and coaxing out more flame. Except, Evan was also blinded by it. He hadn’t yet tamed that aspect of who he was, and Delirious was no stranger to it. 

He was similar, and sometimes he let himself be consumed by that same fire. Burning in his veins until he was either too cold, or unbearably suffocated by it. Living a free life under contracts with people he hated. It truly did suffocate Evan to a point he burned himself. Now he was simply letting that fire die inside of him. 

Delirious would’ve laughed in the face of people like him. Now that he was on his side, setting himself on fire, Delirious didn’t have the energy to mock him. 

Instead they sat in the silence until they returned to the base. Another quiet place filled with monsters. Delirious never liked thinking they were, but after years of regret, remorse, and tears started to wane. Delirious figured he had a nice place in hell to sit at. Maybe a dining hall with rotted food. It would take time to find the grapes or pomegranates that most people like to imagine for hell. Waxed wood floors and clean tables. Beautiful people in their beautiful clothes with their wicked minds. 

It’s funny when he never truly believed in hell. He believed in a claustrophobic place beneath the ground where the bugs would feast on his body. And that image would last for days, a reminder that life was fleeting, and he’d have to keep it up to avoid rotting. 

Delirious glanced over his shoulder at Evan who was frowning down at his hand covered in dried blood. He rolled his eyes and turned around, reached for Evan’s arm and caught the surprise on his face as he dragged him to the kitchen.

“Let go,” Evan said, wrenching his arm free. 

“Sit.” Delirious pointed at the chair. He took out a cloth from the drawer, including a gauze they kept in a medic case on the top shelf near the fridge with a bottle of antiseptic, bandages, and a thin wire with a needle. He walked back over to Evan who had sat down, and Delirious grasped a chair and pulled it in front of him. 

Evan’s hand was still shaking, but not as much. 

Delirious soaked the cloth in antiseptic and lightly touched Evan’s hand. He breathed heavily, but didn’t move away. 

“Where are you from?” Delirious asked, focusing on the blood.

“Canada.”

Delirious smiled. “Really?” 

“Yeah.”

He didn’t expect an answer, but Evan seemed more focused on the cloth and his bloody hand. “Does it hurt?” 

Evan shrugged, “No.” 

Delirious pressed down, earning him a wince which in turn made Delirious smirk. “You said it didn’t hurt.”

“I can do it myself if you’re going to provoke me,” Evan responded, meeting Delirious’s eyes with a glare. 

Delirious went back to cleaning the wound. “I’m only seeing what you’ll do, but I can tell your wound is still fresh.”

Evan pulled his hand from Delirious’s, his glare prominent. “I don’t need a reminder.”

“I’m only making sure to coax that dying fire of yours.” Delirious extended his arm, palm up. “You work better stressed. Anger clouds your judgment, makes you a target, easy to kill.”

Evan hesitates, a disgusted expression passes over his face as he places his hand back into Delirious’s palm. He turns his head and stares at the floor. 

Even with the silence between them, and Delirious cleaning the wound. He can hear the thoughts folding inward and out in Evan’s mind. He’s untangling what he has too, but not doing himself any favors by glaring and baring his teeth at the floor.

“Don’t hate yourself,” Delirious said, wrapping the gauze around Evan’s knuckles. 

“I don’t hate myself.”

“You’re hating yourself right now.”

Evan snapped his eyes back at Delirious. Whatever the words he wanted to say seemed to die before he asked a simple question. “What do you like?”

“Cutting people,” Delirious responded casually, lightly running a finger across Evan’s bandaged knuckles. 

“You like cutting people?” Evan asked, perplexed.

He raised his head, keeping his hold on Evan’s hand and smiled. “It’s my favorite thing to do.” The words felt empty when he spoke them. His chest had been carved out. Maybe that’s what he enjoyed the most. Cutting himself open while he killed others when he was assigned to them. He learned to laugh at death, and walk side-by-side with it. 

“Are you going back to Canada anytime soon?” Delirious asked, finally letting go of Evan’s hand.

“No.” Evan blinked once when he had answered, and Delirious recognized the emptiness inside of him. He had also carved something out of himself. Maybe a long time ago, maybe it was fresh. He was much of a monster as the rest of them, but unlike them moving day-by-day, he now had something to push him forward, an objective that had nothing to do with money.

They were interrupted by a slight thumping that grew louder before Moo skidded into the room. His hand held the doorpost, lightly panting from jogging down the hall. He looked to Evan, but his gaze fell on Delirious.

“We received another message."


	10. unbearable

It was her voice, her laugh, her disturbing quality that snaked down Evan’s spine. It wasn’t fear that made him ball his hands into tight fists at his sides, ignoring the burn in his knuckles from when he punched the brick wall. He was angry and it pumped in his veins all the way to his heart. A painful burn of utter rage at his fingertips that dug into his palms. 

“Scared,” the voice mocked, the eerie tone and drawn out laugh was like a razor wire, “you were scared, weren’t you? All that pent up rage hiding your fears. Shock suits you, _ Pride _ . You are incompetent, incompetent!” she snapped. “Couldn’t kill Envy, couldn’t kill Lust, couldn’t kill Greed if you wanted too. Pathetic. You’re fucking pathe—”

Evan grabbed the phone in Lui’s hand and smashed it several times against the edge of the table. He panted, dropping the broken phone onto the floor, the shattered pieces scattered as the reflection stared back up at him. 

“You owe me one,” Lui said, sitting on the table. “Who was that?”

“Sloth,” Evan said, hand burning as he left the room and wandered down the hall. He wanted to hurt something, throw and break everything at Sloth’s face, at her cackle and insults that baited him to act. He wanted her voice suffocated.

They followed him into the kitchen where he opened the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of orange juice. He hated her, hated them, it burned too harsh in his heart, in his mind, in his entire body. He wanted to kill them, he could kill them, he was a lot better than they were. They already failed to do so already, but it also made him angry that she was right. 

He had his chances, twice, and he failed to kill Envy and Lust.

“You hate yourself,” Delirious stated. He wore a unimpressed expression as he stood beside Lui, and Moo. 

No. That wasn’t it. 

“Isolation,” Lui spoke, and Evan stopped himself from pouring the orange juice into a glass. His heart fluttered painfully, knowing its truth was bare for someone who knew him. “You had little interaction with anyone else besides the people you worked with, and you didn’t even like them when you signed the contract. Work is work. Pity. That kind of thinking ruins—”

“I get it,” Evan said, cutting him off. Squeezing his hand and the hot rush of pain was the only thing he wanted to focus on. He put the carton back into the fridge once he filled his glass and turned to them. “I was not friends with none of them. I didn’t care about their lives. All that mattered was that we completed whatever work we received.” 

“Yeah,” Moo said, crossing his arms, “that does sound lonely.”

Evan rolled his eyes and drank the juice. The coolness settled the burn, but he held onto it. He had to hold onto the hate that fueled his revenge. If he lost control, if he didn’t organize his thoughts, he would be lost to it and that couled get him killed. 

“The trust issues make sense,” Delirious said, shrugging nonchalantly. “You didn’t care about them, they didn’t care about you. Why should any of you trust each other.”

Evan set the glass on the table. “Trust is thin between myself and them. In the field we trusted each other. We had too so we could finish the job. It took some time to figure out a strategy. But each of them liked doing things in certain ways, their tastes were...dark. Sometimes even pathetic. Predictable.”

“Doesn’t help that you were also paranoid,” Lui said, digging the knife into his heart along with Sloth’s words, but the difference was is that Lui didn’t mean it as an insult. “You even said it, you knew they were going to do something. How many times was that going through your head? You were ready, weren’t you? For whatever they were going to do. You were ready.”

Evan smirked, but there was no humor in it. “Fucked me up a little, but it was fair, right? I knew, they knew, it was only a matter of time.”

“That sucks,” Delirious said, shaking his head. “That really fucking sucks. How long did that thought run into your head like that?”

Evan shrugged. “Maybe a year or two.” 

“That really sucks.”

“I heard you the other times you said it,” Evan said, picking up the glass and taking the last sip. 

“Tell me something,” Delirious said, “what were you going to do if Wildcat and I hadn’t brought you in, what if we didn’t tell Lui we even saw you getting betrayed by your group and left you to yourself?”

“Do you really want to know?” Evan asked, and he glanced at Moo and Lui. Both of them wore passive expressions, but they didn’t disagree. 

“Humor us,” Delirious said.

Evan scoffed. Why would that matter? They were trying to get near him, to know him from the inside, and they wanted to slowly peel back those layers. He didn’t want that. He needed time, a reason, something to focus on. Except he knew the answer, knew it well, thought about it many times, yet it was hidden in the recesses of his mind. Too insulted by his own lack of initiative to consider it. It was there when he fired his gun in the shooting range, when he hunted Lust. It kept him moving. Maybe saying it would make it real, more real than the many times he failed. It was all unbearable if he didn’t.

“I would kill him,” Evan answered, he looked to the floor and back up at Delirious, knowing it was exactly what he wanted to hear. “I would kill Envy, and then I would hunt them all down. Just like we’re doing now, and what I wanted before you decided to invite yourselves.” He was bitter, and maybe that was all he ever was. 

Bitter. 

Who was he before? He could barely remember when he felt an ounce of happiness without faking it. Did scraps of his old self still lived somewhere within the festering rage?

What a stupid smile.


	11. clarity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evan speaks to Delirious about his previous comrades.

He slept, and when he woke, he was lying in a dark room and it was comforting. A quiet space where even his thoughts didn’t haunt him. He let his memories fall away, and he curled inward, holding his pillow, and relaxing himself. This is what he wanted, a comfort before he would push himself back into the hunt.

“I never wanted to stay in Madhouse,” he said when he found Delirious in the living room. He sat down beside him, holding an apple in his hand.

“You stayed with them,” Delirious pointed out.

He nodded. “I did, but it wasn’t something I wanted. More convenient than anything else.”

“You needed money,” Delirious said, picking at his nail.

“It was a compromise,” Evan told him, “but you’re right, it was also for money. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do, even if you don’t want too. And I needed a living. If I had to deal with those assholes, then I had too.”

Delirious chuckled, looking up at him. “And it made you bitter.”

“Bitter?”

“I barely seen you smile.”

“If only you knew me once upon a time.”

“You smiled then?”

“I also laughed.”

Delirious chuckled, his mouth widened as his eyes seem to sparkle with wonder. It was a strange sight, but Evan had known the man for a short awhile, and a smile always seemed to be a part of him.

“You’re funny.”

Evan shrugged. “ _They_ don’t.”

Delirious turned in his seat, tilting his head to the side and looked to be analyzing him. “How about you stop focusing so much on them and think more about yourself.”

“Is this about me hating myself?”

“Maybe.”

Delirious sat back. “How long did you think you’d be with them?”

“Five years,” Evan said, without missing a beat, and this seemed to shock Delirious.

“Five years?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“It’s a contract,” Evan told him, confused. “Didn’t you sign a contract as well?”

Delirious shook his head, looking past Evan before turning his attention to the TV. He had turned it off when Evan stepped into the kitchen. It was a lot easier talking without distractions. “I don’t know. I don’t remember. And if I did, must’ve been years ago, and no one bothered to check.”

“You never asked Lui?”

“He would’ve said something.”

That was true, Lui wasn’t stupid, he knew when to organize everyone’s assets. At least that’s how he was once when Evan knew him a bit more personally. Now everything seemed different. He worked as if contracts didn’t matter and they all wanted to be in each other’s presence. It was a little foreign to Evan who never truly wanted to stay in Madhouse with a bunch of psychopathic killers who only cared about money and sex.

“It was long and tedious,” Evan said, sitting back against the leather couch. “I hated every moment of it.”

“You could’ve paid your way out of the contract,” Delirious suggested.

“No way. And give them the satisfaction," Evan glared at the wall, "I’d rather suffer.”

Delirious laughed, and without looking at him, Evan admired the sound. A lot better than Lust’s rough tone, or even Sloth’s razor cut cackle. There was a subtle longing that Evan yearned for, but it had no name, and no true form. He ignored it.

“Surprised you didn’t run off long ago,” Delirious said.

Evan held back a smile. “If I defected, it would mean _I_ betrayed them and they’d have every right to kill me. I guess it makes sense why they like the ruse instead of outright killing me.”

“They’re making you look bad.”

“Yeah, sooner or later, others will know the truth.”

“When they’re dead, you mean? Won’t that ruin it?”

“I don’t care.”

The worst thing was what Greed wanted from all of this, and he didn’t need to guess her end game was. “She wants money for the bounty on me. The price they all put on my head.” Evan met Delirious’s eyes, and his heart raced but he didn’t let it show of how sudden the reaction of looking into Delirious’s blue eyes. “I’m a scapegoat for her. The reward will only add to her pride. I’d rather not let that happen.”

He was determined to keep Greed from getting what she wants from his death. Even how long it’d take for the results to form correctly, he’ll have his way with the revenge that was on his mind. They’d be lying on the floor in puddles of their own mixed blood, lifeless with no need for regret of their actions.

This was his victory, and he won’t let her take that from him.

“Has she done this in the past?” Delirious asked.

Evan shook his head. “No. But I’m sure she planned out back up plans in case any of us tried to defect, or even kill her. She was always crafty like that.”

Delirious hummed. “I guess you’re not the only one. About the others?”

Evan ignored his comment, and said, “The others aren’t smart enough to come up with their own plans. They’d rather follow orders like mangy mutts than to make their own paths. It makes it easier to clump them all together, not like they ever tried to keep each other at a distance.”

It was the only good thing about the others following Greed. He can get his revenge with some more nuance than her. And unlike her attempts, he’ll succeed.

Delirious hummed again, a bit more happier, and Evan noticed the smile directed to him from his peripheral vision. His heart raced again, making him oddly nervous about the attention he was receiving. Usually he’d rather stay in the shadows instead of being stared at, not from someone like Delirious.

“Your pride is wavering,” he commented, sounding pleased.

Evan blinked, surprised. “What?”

Delirious nodded. “Yeah. I guess I hadn’t noticed until now, but you’re not spouting all that shit, sure you still need some work, but I think you’re quite more normal than I took you for.”

Normal? “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Your codenames mean the seven deadly sins, and I figured you were picked for those specific qualifications.”

“Qualifications?” Evan asked, frowning. “Are you serious?”

Delirious shrugged, moving a bit closer to him. “It’s only an assumption, nothing more.”

“And what about you? Are you truly _delirious_?”

He laughed, more joyful that it left a fluttering in Evan’s chest. “Of course, I thought it was obvious.”

“A name is a name, not a label.”

“Whatever, Pride, but you and your ex-friends—”

“They were never my friends,” Evan said, glaring.

“I guess not, friends don’t usually want to murder each other.”

“You never wanted too?”

“Dumb question, Evan, but I’m quite protective of mine unlike your own.”

Evan rolled his eyes. “And that only proves they were never my friends. I’m sure they wanted me dead the second I started working for them.”

“So, you’re not the only one compromising.”

“You’re really twisting my words.”

Delirious beamed. “I’m only trying to know you more if you’re going to stay awhile, at least until you get your revenge.”

That was another thing he had to think about. Lui invited him into his group, but he didn’t know if he could trust any of them, even if they were being nice. It could all be a ruse to get under his skin. He needed to be careful around people like them.

“It was the only thing I managed to keep during my time with them,” Evan said, breaking eye contact with Delirious.

“Revenge?”

Evan scrunched his nose. “Pride.”

“Oh, my bad.”

“What else was I supposed to hold onto when they’re nothing more than murderers.”

“You can’t say that when the rest of us are too,” Delirious said, nudging Evan in the arm.

“I meant the psychopathic kind.”

“We’re all bordering psychopaths.”

Evan shook his head. “I don’t take pleasure in killing, and I feel guilt afterwards.”

“I do too, but work is work.”

“You have every fucking answer, don’t you?” Evan asked, glaring.

Delirious sat back. “I’m a realist. It’s not like we’re shooting up random places and getting our names plastered on the news. We’re more subtle because we’re not going after innocent people, and we’re also working for the government. Everything is a secret within a secret, and if we have to sacrifice a bit of comfort for the greater good in whatever context we put it in, than we have too.”

“So Pride and revenge is fine?” Evan wondered.

Delirious shrugged. “People grow from others, and from what I’m seeing, you stayed in the shade a bit too long with your previous comrades. Maybe it’s time to get back into the sun, find some energy, enjoy a bit of clarity.”

“Maybe.”

“Don’t take my advice halfheartedly, took me some time to think about it.”

Evan cracked a smile, and it seemed to ease Delirious’s own. “Maybe you’re right.”

All that pent up rage was getting him nowhere, simply scratches on the inside of him, dragging along deep wounds that made him fester and pour out insults and pain. Lying in the dark may have relaxed him, but a bit of sun made him see more that he missed.


	12. aren't we all

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They go for coffee, and Delirious tells Evan how he met Lui.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed Lui's story from his explanation so it could fit to this story, which works out, and is fine! :D 
> 
> I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Comments and/or Kudo's are appreciative.

Earlier that day, Delirious and Evan left to find a coffee shop. He wanted them to at least do something, it was a better option than staying inside and thinking too much. He smiled whenever Evan turned his body away from strangers that walked by them. He was guarded, tensing, and gritting his teeth. 

Delirious bugged him about this, and all Evan did was sneer at him, trying his hardest to ignore the insinuations. It fell apart each time, and more so when they entered the coffee shop, and Evan stood closer to him, head lowered and letting out a deep breath.

“I didn’t take you for the shy type,” Delirious said, hands tucked into his pockets and trying to choose what he wanted on the display with the variations of coffee, soups, and sandwiches. 

“I’m not shy,” Evan said, “but I don’t like crowds that much. Too exposing, and too close.”

Delirious glanced at him, frowning. “Did you want to go back to the car?” He reached in his pocket for his keys, but Evan grasped his arm and the touch made him go still. 

“No, it’s okay,” he whispered, barely heard over the chatter around them. “I’ll stay here, with you.”

Delirious nodded, letting go of the keys and taking out his credit card. He focused on what he wanted, and chose a medium coffee. He asked Evan, who wanted a coffee and a donut. They waited for another five minutes, and Delirious was finally able to order. 

Evan wasn’t slouching anymore, and was standing tall, mostly focusing on Delirious instead of everyone else. It seemed to somehow make him feel better, but the staring was making Delirious’s heart race way too fast. 

“I met Lui when I was a weapon’s dealer,” Delirious told Evan as they walked out of the coffee shop and back towards his car. 

Evan snorted, “Really?  _ You _ were a weapon’s dealer?”

Delirious shrugged, biting into his donut. “I was.” They got into the car and he started the engine while Evan set his cup into the cupholder. 

“When was that?” he asked.

“About ten years ago,” Delirious answered, driving out of the parking lot. He wouldn’t tell Evan, but he didn’t really like being around other people as well. It was open, too many innocent people, it was hard for him to focus on what he wanted. He’d like to pretend he had everything under control, but finally sitting inside the car, driving away from the coffee shop eased his nerves. 

“Where at?” Evan asked, taking a sip of his coffee. 

“Around the border,” Delirious answered, “and later on at the outskirts of the city, and sometimes in the city. The underground is easy to move around when no one knows who I am besides what they want.”

“You’re professional at that?”

“Had to be,” Delirious said, it was a grim memory, and he wouldn’t have called himself a professional. He was young, inexperienced, but he learned by people a lot older than him that keeping his mouth shut and not provoking others was the better option than getting a bullet in his head. 

“How did you meet Lui? Was he one of your clients?” 

Delirious laughed, and Evan gave him an odd expression. “No. He wasn’t a client. He came at the wrong opportunity, or maybe it was what he expected to happen. Around the time I met him, two rival gangs started a turf war, and somehow an underground boss got dragged into it when his men were killed. I was supplying the guns around that time, and I barely escaped if it wasn’t for Lui.”

“He was part of the gangs?” 

“No,” Delirious said, almost laughing again if it weren’t for Evan’s glare, “Lui catches on, is what I’m saying. He knows things...ridiculous things, even now, I’m not sure how he can stay concentrated.”

“You know, Delirious, you’re simple minded,” Evan said. 

Delirious slowed the car at a red light, and arched a brow at Evan. “I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.” Evan laughed, and Delirious was struck by how strange it sounded to hear him laugh. The moment he met him, he wasn’t the joyful type of person to stand beside. His presence reeked of someone who wanted blood on their hands and a myriad death count. 

“You are, Delirious, I’m not even sure how you survived this long,” Evan said, eating his donut. 

“Besides you picking on me,” Delirious said, driving once more when the light turned green, “I was on my way out during the explosion of bullets and dead bodies. I wasn’t use to what I witnessed that night. And, I bumped into Lui, he had killed a man who had pointed a gun at me. I told Lui I was a weapons dealer, and I wasn’t part of what was happening.” He chuckled at the memory of how scared he was, he knew at the time he would’ve pissed himself if he had drank the alcohol they offered before all that shit went down, but all he did was stand, shaking, holding a briefcase of money the mob boss had given him for his services. 

“What happened next?” Evan asked, rolling the window down, and the cool breeze brushed Evan’s hair to the side. 

Sighing, he told Evan, “He took the briefcase full of my hard earned money in compensation for saving my ass.”

Evan laughed, and Delirious smiled as he drove down the road. Lui wasn’t exactly cold hearted about the exchange, but he wasn’t fair either when he was the one holding the gun up at Delirious’s chest. It was a mockery of his inexperience, but at least he didn’t bargain, Lui didn’t look like the type of person who wanted too. 

“And then what? Did you two sneak out the back door and let the gangs kill each other?” Evan asked, placing his feet onto the dashboard, and wiping sweat from his forehead. 

It was a lot more complicated than that. “No,” he said, grimly, and Evan frowned, “he wasn’t there...for me.”

“Who was he there for?” 

Delirious let out a nervous chuckle, “Everyone else.” 

“Everyone else?” Evan asked, perplexed, “are you saying he was there to kill everyone?”

“I mean, you met him before—”

“Yeah, but it’s not like I know everything,” Evan said, shaking his head, “you knew him for ten years…”

Delirious heard the annoyance at the end of his sentence, he also stared outside at the passing buildings. Absorbing the information while Delirious focused on driving back to their hideout. 

“I guess,” he started, “Lui was an assassin way before us, cleaning up the place. He...told me I was his witness when he shot the mob boss in the head. That every life he had taken for the one he wasn’t going to add to his long list meant something to him.”

“And what was that?” Evan asked.

Delirious let out a short laugh, “I don’t fucking know. I didn’t want to ask. It was too much at the time. After that, things changed, I ran a few more deals after that, and one time selling Cocaine and Meth, but other than that, he put a gun in my hand and gave me a photo of some dude. Told me to go kill him.” 

“That’s your miraculous story of becoming an assassin?” Evan asked in a flat tone. 

“Had to start somewhere,” Delirious told him. Even if he was forced across a certain line, at least to a point where he didn’t think he’d be able to step into until nothing else made sense besides a gun and the blood. “Besides what I told you, have you dated...anyone?” 

“Since entering Madhouse?” Evan asked, sneering out the window, “work was the better option. You?”

“No,” Delirious said, “work was pretty much the only thing that mattered. I don’t like bringing in random people into my life unless it makes sense to the situation.”

“Like what?”

“If they ever found out and were okay with my occupation.”

Evan smiled, “I don’t think anyone would be okay with that. Unless you dated someone who equally had their hands dirty.”

“Would Madhouse even...allow dating?”

“Lust doesn’t seem to mind,” Evan said, letting out a deep sigh. “I don’t want to talk about past dating—”

“So you did date someone,” Delirious said, earning himself a glare.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Evan said, glaring, “they’re dead, and it no longer matters.”

Dead. Delirious wouldn’t want to love someone who died in this profession. If it had anything to do with him in anyway, he didn’t think he could handle it for long. 

“Sorry,” Delirious said, knowing he had overstepped as Evan once more looked out the window. 

“I don’t like talking about my former allies,” Evan told him.

That’s right, the only reason why he’s living with them, using their guns, and pretending to trust them. His former allies betrayed him, and they were going to eventually try and kill him. If it didn’t go the way that it did, Evan would possibly be dead, he was too reckless, anger blinded him. If he didn’t have any of them, would it have mattered? Probably not. 

“Are you going to betray us?” Delirious asked softly.

Evan scoffed. “That’s what you’re worried about?”

“Who knows, you would’ve killed your former allies if you had the opportunity.”

They arrived back at the base, and Evan got out the moment Delirious slowed the car down. He held his coffee and twisted around, glaring at Delirious who had gotten out of the car. 

“I’m doing what I have too,” Evan told him, and he turned around and walked back into the base. 

Delirious closed the door, smiling, “Aren’t we all.”


End file.
